This invention relates to a cleaning device of the type identified in the prior-art portion of claim 1.
A cleaning device of the type initially referred to is known from PCT/EP98/00417. It is an object of the present invention to improve a cleaning device of the type initially referred to, in particular to reduce the evaporation of cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid container.
According to the invention this object is accomplished by a cleaning device of the type initially referred to with the features of claim 1.
The cleaning device of the present invention has several advantages. One essential advantage of the invention is that, when the cleaning liquid container is coupled to the cleaning bath, the inlet port and the outlet port needed in the cleaning liquid container for circulation of the liquid are surrounded by sealing elements so that only the opening cross section required for circulation of the cleaning liquid with or without contaminants remains for evaporated cleaning liquid in the draining conduit to escape. The flow cross section of the draining conduit is dimensioned in accordance with the invention such as to enable the cleaning liquid with contaminants to drain into the cleaning liquid container and the gaseous volume needing to be displaced from the gas-tight cleaning liquid container due to this inflow of liquid to escape from the cleaning liquid container. These conditions can be guaranteed with a relatively small flow cross section of the draining conduit, thus enabling the amount of cleaning liquid lost due to evaporation while the cleaning device is not being used to be reduced to a minimum.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that a pressure compensation conduit is associated with the draining conduit. In a further aspect of the invention a pressure compensation conduit is associated with the draining conduit as an integral component of the draining conduit. An essential advantage of this embodiment is that, instead of a separate sealing element being required to seal the pressure compensation conduit, said function can be performed as well by the sealing element surrounding the draining conduit.
In a further aspect of this embodiment provision is made for the pressure compensation conduit to be formed by a length of pipe. This provision ensures that while displaced gaseous medium is flowing out it is simultaneously separated from the inflow of cleaning liquid, thus guaranteeing that the cleaning liquid is reliably drained from the cleaning bath and gaseous volume escapes unobstructed from the interior of the cleaning liquid container under the action of cleaning liquid entering the container.
A further embodiment of the invention is characterized in that an overflow wall provided in the cleaning bath projects into the draining conduit. The second flow channel resulting from the overflow wall in the draining conduit promotes not only the return flow of cleaning liquid into the cleaning liquid container but also the displacement of gaseous volume from the cleaning liquid container thereby caused.
A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the flow cross section of the draining conduit is divisible by means of the pressure compensation conduit and the overflow wall into three flow channels, enabling each of the flow channels to be assigned a certain function.
A very simple and economical embodiment of the invention is characterized in that a sealing element is provided on the outer wall of the draining conduit such that it can be placed against an inlet port of the cleaning liquid container.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention provision is made for the flow cross section of the draining conduit to be variable by means of at least one valve element in order to largely reduce the evaporation of cleaning liquid while the cleaning device is not being used. Starting from a valve element designed to cover the flow cross section, the flow cross section of the draining conduit is reduced by the valve element to a greater or lesser extent depending on the construction of said valve element.
In a further aspect of this embodiment provision is made for the valve element, when acted upon by the outflow of cleaning liquid, to essentially clear the flow cross section of the draining conduit. According to another embodiment of the invention the valve element can be arranged and constructed such that the valve element, when acted upon by a gaseous pressure above atmospheric occurring in the cleaning liquid container, clears at least a partial area of the flow cross section of the draining conduit and/or the pressure compensation conduit.
A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that provision is made on the draining conduit and/or the pressure compensation conduit for a stop for abutment with the valve element in order to preferably achieve complete coverage of the respective flow cross section(s).
According to yet another embodiment of the invention provision is made for the flow cross section to be coverable at least in part by the valve element in the presence of a pressure balance between the draining conduit and the interior of the cleaning liquid container. This provision guarantees for certain embodiments of the invention that the cleaning liquid is reliably drained into the cleaning liquid container and that the gas volume accordingly needing to be displaced flows out of the interior of the cleaning liquid container.
According to another embodiment of the invention the effective area of the valve element is constructed to be smaller than the flow cross section.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provision is made for the valve element to be constructed as a flap valve controllable by gravity. This makes it possible, without impairing an effective draining of cleaning liquid into the cleaning liquid container and the accordingly necessary outflow of a gaseous medium from the interior of the cleaning liquid container, for the flow cross section of the draining conduit and/or the pressure compensation conduit to be effectively sealed by the valve element for those intervals of time between the cleaning device being used with a corresponding appliance of personal use such as a shaving apparatus.
According to a simple and economical embodiment of the invention provision is made for the valve element to be constructed of an elastic diaphragm. In a further embodiment of the invention the valve element is preferably provided on the sealing element. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the valve element is provided on the draining conduit.
In cases where a pressure compensation conduit is integrated in the draining conduit it is an advantage according to yet another embodiment of the invention for the one valve element to be assigned to the draining conduit and for the other valve element to be assigned to the pressure compensation conduit.
To largely reduce the evaporation of cleaning liquid when the cleaning device is not in use, meaning when it is switched off, a further preferred embodiment of the invention provides for the draining conduit to project into the cleaning liquid container, terminating at a relatively short distance to a maximum filling level of the cleaning liquid.
According to an alternative aspect a sealing element, which extends the draining conduit, projects into the cleaning liquid container and terminates at a relatively short distance to a maximum filling level of the cleaning liquid.
Yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides for the pressure compensation conduit to project into the cleaning liquid container and terminate at a relatively short distance to a maximum filling level of the cleaning liquid.
Further advantages and details of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.